Fergie and Josh Duhamel Split After 8 Years of Marriage

After eight years of marriage, pop artist Fergie and actor Josh Duhamel announced their split on Thursday (September 14),PEOPLE reports.

"With absolute love and respect we decided to separate as a couple earlier this year," the couple said in a joint statement.

"To give our family the best opportunity to adjust, we wanted to keep this a private matter before sharing it with the public," the letter continues. "We are and will always be united in our support of each other and our family."

The pair, who share a four-year-old son together named Axl, first met in September 2004, after the pop star appeared on Duhamel's show, Las Vegas, with the Black Eyed Peas. They tied the knot five years later in Malibu on January 10, 2009.